Most know Auli’i Cravalho as the powerful voice behind Disney’s ‘Moana,’ but the Hawaiian actress doesn’t just play an ocean defender on-screen.
In a partnership with coral preservation nonprofit Kuleana Coral Reefs and cat food company SHEBA, Cravalho is starring in a three-part short film series called “Growing Hope in Hawai’i.”
The 23-year-old actress and “proud cat mom,” is Hawaiian herself, making her the perfect candidate to take viewers on this journey.
The series will “highlight how important coral reefs are to the Hawaiian culture and how working to preserve them represents a vital step towards ensuring our oceans have more fish for the future,” a press release said.
In the first installment of the series — which premieres today, July 15 — Cravalho will introduce viewers to the people behind Kuleana Coral Reefs, including local fisherman, ocean advocates, firemen, surfers, and more.
“These are people who took it upon themselves after noticing there are less fish than when they were growing up, and [are exploring], ‘How can we find a solution to that?’” the actress told People Magazine.
Kuleana Coral Reefs’ team is truly the first-line of defense to protect Hawai’i’s coral reefs. Using both modern science and Indigenous knowledge from coastal communities, the organization deploys “scalable restoration methods unique to Hawai’i,” and supports workforce training to help monitor and preserve the area’s reefs.
It’s a mission Cravalho can get behind.
“I’ve always had a strong love and respect for the ocean, growing up in Hawai’i. It’s what truly connects us across the world, and I was raised to understand that we are the stewards of our natural world and need to protect it,” Cravalho said in a press release.
The actress went on to say that having worked with SHEBA in the past, she was inspired to pursue her scuba certification and continue her efforts to protect her local environment.
This new short film series marks the second year she has worked with the company.
“I am certain that this second year of our partnership will continue to inspire people that there is hope,” she said.
In another installment of the short film series, viewers will get a first-hand look into those ocean ecosystems, learning more about healthy and unhealthy coral. Cravalho told People that diving has become a great way to “become invigorated and learn about what’s going on in the ocean floor.”
Lastly, the series will invite viewers into Cravhalo’s home, where they can fawn over her adorable cat, Rocco, as they explain more about the sustainability practices behind SHEBA.
In 2021, the cat food brand announced its efforts with Hope Reef, to restore coral reefs in Indonesia. According to SHEBA, since this partnership began, coral growth has increased from 2% to 70%, fish populations have increased by 260%, and experts have seen a 64% rise in the number of fish species.
The company works to sustain reef locations across the globe, but its flagship Hope Reef location in Salisi’ Besar, Indonesia stands out in the crowd, with a group of coral spelling out the word ‘HOPE’ in the reef.
The next step in the brand’s sustainability journey is to support Kuleana Coral Reefs — closer to home in Hawai’i. SHEBA has already donated $1 million to Kuleana to support the organization’s efforts, and now hopes to spread the message of hope with ocean lovers — and pet parents — near and far.
“In… our Hawaiian creation story, the first living organism that’s mentioned is the coral polyp, the ko’a ko’a,” Kapono Kaluhiokalani, co-founder and director of outreach at Kuleana, told Cravalho in a video.
“What that means to us is that every living thing from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the ocean is originated from the ko’a ko’a. We are the great grandchild of the ko’a ko’a, so we’ve got to take care of our coral like it’s our grandfather.”
The first episode of Cravalho’s “Growing Hope in Hawai’i” series drops on July 15, with the other two episodes to follow. All installments will be available to view on SHEBA.com, as well as on Instagram.
Kaluhiokalani continued: “Now we can go out and spread our knowledge and share with our communities.”
Header images courtesy of SHEBA and Kuleana Coral Reefs
